


I Kept Smiling

by TVD_TO_Obsessed



Category: Original Work
Genre: Cemetery, Father-Daughter Relationship, Gen, Hurt, Loss, Pain
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-06
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-19 12:08:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29874453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TVD_TO_Obsessed/pseuds/TVD_TO_Obsessed
Summary: No Summary at the time.One-shot.Writing this emotionally destroyed me. If you want to sob, read this. The character not having a name is intentional.





	I Kept Smiling

Walking around the cemetery, he got lost in the reverie of peaceful memories. The reverie of the once upon a time. Because he was, as always, greedy. Greedy for a time where everything was alright. A time where he wasn’t the last of his line. 

Once upon a time, he would have loved to come home at five in the morning, exhausted, and jump into his bed and let sleep engulf him in its peaceful nothingness. Now, going to that house felt like a chore. Something he has to do.

He was a martyr. He would sacrifice himself, give himself over to the pain, only to be selfish in his selflessness. He wanted to see her grow old and be happy. But then again, he never gets what he wants. All that pain was for nothing in the end.

But he would do it a thousand times over, only to see one more time how his baby girl smiled at him. Just one. More. Time.

The cemetery faded for him, just an afterthought. He was operating on autopilot, walking through the dozens of graves. Everything faded except for the sound of his girl’s voice in his head, as cheerful and energetic as ever.

“Dad. Dad. Dad! WAKE UP! It’s Christmas!”

He felt the familiar burn of tears behind his eyes, and blinked rapidly to get rid of them. She had wanted him to smile. To keep smiling, even if she wouldn’t be there to tell him to. He had promised her to smile.

He put on a smile. Something out of a horror movie, more like a grimace. But, nonetheless, it was a smile. 

The sunflower in his hand felt like it was burning him, but he simply gripped it tighter. Welcomed the emotional pain. It was the least he deserved for being the one alive instead of her. He didn’t deserve to live. He didn’t deserve her.

The pain of losing the only person he had left was soul-shattering. Truly, it felt like he was being ripped apart. He’d take physical torture over this anyday. But, once again, it was the least he deserved.

Eventually he reached her grave. The burning in his chest flared as he read the name and years carved into the stone. 

Isabella Rose Williamson. 2005 - 2018.

The tears spilled over his eyes and onto his wide grin. It hurt. God, the hurt was tearing him apart, leaving him as a pile of limbs and bones and putting him back together and tearing him apart again.

He dropped to his knees onto the cold stone floor. Dawn was near, and he was here, in front of his daughter’s grave, grinning like a maniac with tears streaming down his face.

“Hi, baby girl. I’m here,” he whispered, grazing his fingers against the tombstone. He imagined her, blonde hair cascading down her shoulders and blue eyes sparkling with pure, innocent happiness. He imagined her hugging him from behind, her short self trying to jump on his back.

It would be so easy to give in to the pain, and end everything right here. But she wouldn’t want that. She would want him to live. To try and love life once again. To try to see the world less bleak and sad and try to find a way to be happy.

He shakily put the single sunflower on the newly dug dirt. 

“I kept my promise, my angel. I kept smiling. I kept smiling,” he repeated over and over again, his body being wracked with sobs. 

“I kept smiling.”

THE END


End file.
